Large towable farm implements, such as tillage machines, which have heretofore been available have a number of inherent shortcomings that provide opportunities for innovation. For example, one important object of the present invention is to provide a safe and secure way of adapting such an implement for end towing when the machine is to be transported down the road or otherwise through relatively narrow confines, without detracting from the effectiveness of the hitch of the implement when the implement is in its normal, field working position towed in a direction of travel that extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the wide frame of the machine.
Another exemplary object of the present invention is to provide the end tow capability as aforesaid which is compatible with the ground wheel supporting system for the implement in normal field working position and does not interfere with the depth control function associated with the ground wheel system.
A further important object of the invention is to provide a unique depth control mechanism for tillage implements and the like which affords remote operation from the tractor seat, yet permits the use of but a single hydraulic control cylinder that is capable of regulating the height of a multiplicity of interconnected frames of the implement.
An additional important object of the invention is to provide a tillage implement having significantly improved anti-trash and residue collecting capabilities to avoid plugging and fouling of important mechanisms on the machine. In this respect, the present invention provides a novel design in which ground wheels of the implement are disposed immediately behind forwardly located tillage shanks of the machine so that the residue flow from such shanks tends to pass around and on by the wheel assemblies rather than be directed toward such assemblies for accumulation and buildup. Furthermore, the streamlined nature of the wheel supporting arms of the wheel assemblies encourages smooth trash flow from front to rear of the machine and provides little structure that would snag or catch the trash as it flows under the implement and to the rear thereof.
Still another important object of the invention is to provide improved floatation of a tillage implement through a frame construction that enables at least certain of the ground wheels to be located closer to tillage shanks of the unit than would otherwise be possible, thus permitting the shanks to encounter changes in terrain at essentially the same instant as the ground wheels themselves so that depth of penetration of the shanks can remain more constant than would otherwise be true.
Furthermore, an important feature of the present invention is to provide a tillage implement construction which permits a front row of the tillage shanks to be raised and lowered between operating and standby positions without interfering with the function and operation of a rearwardly disposed row of the shanks, thereby affording the farmer greater flexibility in determining the amount of tilling he desires for a particular field, the amount of crop residue that is to be left or turned under, and reducing the horsepower requirements at those times and under those conditions where such is desirable.